My White "Safe" Deck in MP

[Spiderman]

Here's the setup:

Player A plays a red/blue deck with what little I could see Suq'Ata Lancers, Kjeldoran Skyknights, and burn. He tends to be "retributive" in that he goes after people who "offend" him.

Player B plays a straight mono-green deck with elves, Scryb Sprites, and Forces of Nature with Giant Growths and Aspect of Wolves thrown in.

Player C plays the "best" interesting decks; one is a 5 color deck that gets out the Penumbra stuff (mainly the Wurm) and Haunting whatever that puts the card in the graveyard on the top of the library. Also has Crosis? one of the original Elder Dragon Legends. The second I think is just a white weenie deck.

So with that "metagame" in mind, here's what I came up with:

Creatures

4 Wall of Essence
2 Living Wall
Wall of Glare
4 Soul Warden
2 Wall of Resistance
3 Master Decoy
Soltari Visionary
Cloudchaser Eagle
Serra Angel
Mounted Archers

Spells

High Ground
3 Pacifism
Allay
Congregate
3 Swords to Plowshares
Meekstone
Sol Ring
Disenchant
Inheritance
Spirit Link
Cessation
Humble
Topple
Scars of the Veteran

Land

18 Plains
Strip Mine
Ruins of Trokair
Karoo
Ice Floe

I've noticed that there is very little enchantment removal and maybe a smidgen more of artifact removal (mainly because of the burn or regular creature removal). Alot of my creature removal or such is trying to get the Penumbra's out of the game or at least unable to attack to get themselves killed. I of course would like to get rid of that Haunting enchantment. And the Living Walls are especially for the Penumbra Wurm so trample doesn't get through.

Any suggestions or improvements? Card availability is roughly Revised to Urza's Saga.

 

[Istanbul]

Out:
Wall of Glare
Soltari Visionary
High Ground
Spirit Link
Topple
Scars of the Veteran

In:
Soltari Trooper x2
Testament of Faith x2 (Odyssey uncommon, I'm SURE you can find some)
Celestial Convergence x2

Wall of Glare is born to die.
Soltari Visionary is not the best shadow.
High Ground is superfluous.
Spirit Link won't save you if you're at a low life total.
Topple might kill one of YOUR creatures.
Scars of the Veteran isn't necessary.

Soltari Trooper is a nifty shadow.
Testament of Faith is a first-turn drop that's as big as you want it to be.
Celestial Convergence seems like a natural in an environment with very little enchantment removal and in a deck with lifegain; don't play it until at least one player is dead, though.

 

[Spiderman]

Definitely don't have Celestial Convergence... a good goal to reach for though.

Why is Wall of Glare born to die? It seems innocuous enough.

The problem with shadow creatures is that I'm the only one who plays with them, thus automatically making me a target since they're unstoppable. Hence, despite Player C having that Haunting enchantment out and my Visionary at the time (and as it turned out, the whole game) was the only thing that take care of it, Player A burned the Visionary. I'm hoping he'd eventually see the light and let it live, at least to take out the enchantment, but if I put in the Trooper which obviously doesn't benefit ANYONE except me, it just dies that much faster.

High Ground is an iffy card, I admit; I more want to see if it works well in the environment, since Players A & B put out a lot of little stuff. Plus we can divide our attacks among players, so it might help.

I'm hoping Spirit Link will help me earlier (if not make me a target first by Player A probably) in that because there's two other players to attack besides me, I can gain life that way. Or at least "neutralize" the big creature that comes out fairly early (5th turn, usually). Again, this is something I'd have to see.

I only have one Topple and will save it definitely for the Penumbra creatures, as they are a big problem with Player C recursing them. Unless he happens to get taken out early and I'm facing a Force of Nature (or Craw Giant) from Player B.

Scars is mainly against Player A who as I said likes burn and will target you with a Fireball or Disintegrate. Or it might help against a Wall which can then block a Penumbra/big creature after. It's the "surprise" factor.

So right now, I can only put in the Troopers and with these guys, I think it will hurt me more than help (if you beat on someone, depending on how they're doing or feeling they just might attack you all game when they can, despite what other players are doing). There's not much of "equality" with these guys

 

[rkoelsch]

okay some cards you might consider

Invoibility(damage is prevented)
Smite(you plan on blocking with walls this helps kill)
Creature with banding(will help against trample)

 

[Spiderman]

Well, Smite might not be so good against Penumbra creatures. I don't want them dead (and thus have my opponent get a token creature), just neutralized (hence the Pacifisms and Cessation).

Banding might work, I'll give it a thought, along with Involability.

 

[krichaiushii]

The only monowhite decks I have encountered that win often in multiplayer are creature-heavy and feature Crusades and Serra Angel, and aim more to race the other players to victory than to
deal with apparent problems in more than a circumspect way.

Eye for an Eye might prove useful against the burn player, while defensive creatures that can also attack (unlike walls) might make for a better win method - Angelic Protector and other low power/high toughness creatures. Sworn Defender? Balance is almost a staple for multiplayer white.

If you are feeling unkind, Conversion might be on your "to consider" list. There are also numerous prored creatures out there - shadow and otherwise. Humility could be fun, though it makes the burn player that much more powerful.

That being said, playing a second color might be well worth your while. Even without the big gold cards from recent sets, there are enough available tricks to deal with all sorts of problems.

Blue nets you BEB, Suffocation, Gaseous Form, Propaganda, and Wall of Tears. Be aggressive, and use blue's big flyers.

Black provides Cannibalize, Wall of Souls, Duathi Slayer (now THAT'S a shadow creature!), Perish. Nettling Imp and a good blocker (Wall of Souls, perhaps) could be an amusing way of dealing with the Penumbra guy - especially with a Meekstone in play. Black has big flyers, too, as well as ways to eat graveyards.

Red has burn all its own, as well as creatures that are fun with Spirit Link and life gain in general - Orcish Artillery, Brothers of Fire, Orcish Cannoneers. Forget not the venerable Fork and Wheel of Fortune.

Green has scads of creatures of all shapes and sizes. Tranquility and life gain, as well. Round out with flying damage (Hurricane is only the beginning). Night Soil eats graveyards - at least the creatures. Which should cut down on recursing. Speaking of which, Gaea's Blessing is green...

All told, I don't if the above helped or hindered. Hopefully the former. I'm aware that you have many other decks, and probably know or thought of the above, but it seemed appropriate.

Enjoy.

 

[Spiderman]

I still haven't been able to play this yet so everything's theory but...

I'm unclear how it races the others to victory, especially once it's seen that you're winning and become the focal target of the other three.

I'm unsure about Balance and how the others would react, especially with Player A. Also, Balance doesn't help against Player C and his Penumbra creatures. In fact, I'd get the short end of that stick. If he plays his monowhite deck also, maybe... it's be a good reset button.

For delving into another color, I'd have to see how the deck plays first. Hopefully it'll be this week.

 

[Istanbul]

You should be playing Worship.
As many as possible.

 

[Spiderman]

That's probably a good idea, but I only have US commons and a couple uncommons, no rares (and no 7th).

I guess it's something to trade for

 

[krichaiushii]

By racing, I mean that the decks make lots of creatures very big very quickly and beat the other players down with little regard to stalling tactics or removing threats - all in an effort to race them to victory. The race does grow shorter once all opponents shift fires to target these decks, though.

As to Balance, I've used it more as a parting shot than as a survival card. If you could get an Abeyance off, that should leave you free to Balance without problem (provided I am remembering the text of Abeyance correctly - if not, my apologies).

Other white stalling should include Holy Day - either the Legends common or the more recent (unsure of just how recent) common.
Dark followed revised, so what about Witchhunter, Preacher, and Maze of Ith?

The Unicorn that reduces all direct damage by 1 might be useful (Benevolent Unicorn?) - but its set escapes me.

Ward of Lights provided protection from a color of your choice to target creature and could also be cast as an instant - the caveat being that it left play at the end of the turn it was cast as an instant.

Out of your current card pool is Story Circle. A COP that lets you name the color you need protection from as its cast. VERY useful. Masques, I think - something else to trade for, I reckon.

Maybe the Rolling Stones and Walls with good power trick?

Just some more thoughts.

 

[Spiderman]

I have a more traditional monowhite that is more like you describe and have played it, but it seems futile to try to race the other three; you have to divide your creatures for attack and defense and if it seems like you're picking on one player, either you'll get picked back by that player and/or the other two will assist him (to keep him in the game to make it more fun). Hence, that's why this deck is more defensive than aggressive.

I think those are very good ideas and if I ever get to play this deck , I'll see what works and what doesn't.

Dark was actually a bit before Revised (summer of 94, compared to fall of 94 for Revised); it's boosters were going for at least $5 when I started. Hence, I only have a smattering, like one Preacher and no Mazes.

The Unicorn is a thought, I'll have to see if I can fit it in if I revise this. The direct damage player also has to spread his stuff around too; he usually targets players as a parting shot also or if the other three are really low on life and he can take us out in two or so turns.

A Wall deck was another idea; I'd have to use Walls with better power than the ones currently in. I asked about this idea already and some people had some good ideas with R/W or something.

Thanks!

 

[Spiderman]

Well, I finally got to play the deck last night and boy, was it interesting.

First off, Player C chose to play HIS mono-white deck instead of his Penumbra deck. And Player B couldn't make it.

Basically, I got decked because Player C played Howling Mine which was useful at first but then proved to be a problem when Player A started out with a deck of around 100 cards (he always does that) and Player C kept Feldon Caning.

So though I had plenty of defense with my Walls, StP, Pacifisms (one on an opposing Stratodon) and Cessation (on a Serra Angel) and was gaining life with my Soul Wardens and a Congregate for 42, I couldn't stop the bleeding of cards and my lone Celestial Convergence was about my 10th card from the bottom.

And wouldn't you know it, High Ground was my first card and was promptly Disenchanted by Player C (which seemed odd at the time since hardly anything was out yet, but I guess since he Feldon Caned it wasn't a problem).

So I'm undecided what I should do. Add in the Island Sanctuaries (which could be good against the Penumbra deck)? Probably go to four Disenchants because of the artifacts roaming around. Might increase my deck size to around 75. Probably add Balance and maybe Cataclysm and perhaps a Feldon's Cane of my own (I think the Penumbra deck has them also). Maybe that white card that counters an enchantment or artifact? Or with the Island Sanctuary theme, add in red for Earthquakes/Tremors/Pyroclasm and add in more flyers of my own? Man, too much....

 

[rkoelsch]

With a stalling deck like yours more cards would be good. A hundred is too many but 75 sounds right. Especially if you put Island sanctuaries in.

 

[Thallid Ice Cream Man]

krichaiushii: Abeyance: Yes.
Holy Day: Invasion.
Unicorn: Mirage.

The Rolling Stones / walls trick doesn't work all that well in mono white; the best walls are Wall of Swords, Sunweb, Shifting Wall, and Testament of Faith.

 

[krichaiushii]

TICM - thank you for your support.

Spiderman - Another card to slow your drawing is Fasting (from the Dark) - though I've tried to make it work with Island Sanctuary, and it is tough (the whole timing thing). And I know Dark is before revised, but still...

Larger decks are nearly always better in multiplayer decks, especially when coupled with Feldon's Cane. Opponents with multiple Canes/Foundries might be a problem, though, so 4 Disenchants (or whichever variant you prefer) would be good.

Purify is a rare (3WW) that destroys all enchantments and artifacts in play. It appears in 7th edition, but debuted somewhere in Urza's Block (TICM - help!). While it might be dangerous to you if ill-timed, its ability to zap multiple toys at once outweighs that, IMO. While I know you don't have it, its still a thought.

Since you are now considering two colors, the Red/White for the Island Sanctuary/earthbound-creatures-destruction cards is likely your best approach. Besides, Red has lots of nifty artifact destroying cards, from the venerable Shatterstorm and Detonate to Builder's Bane and Viashino Heretic.

While Red's quality flyers are hard to come by, certain ones are very worthwhile - Granite Gargoyle, Roc of Kher Ridges, Dragon Whelp, and everyone's favorite - Shivan Dragon (I KNOW all four of those are Revised). Speaking of flyers, Mesa Pegasi are cheap (to cast), common, and terribly irritating, especially on the defense. Same goes for Dancing Scimitar - its mostly defensive, but can smack for a point when necessary.

Going Red/White also allows for additional uses for your life-gaining, such as Orcish Artillery, Brothers of Fire, Sizzle and Flame Rift (the last two are newer, but being commons that affect all opponents and everyone, respectively, make them most worthwhile to look for).

A black/white mix could allow for some hefty graveyard-reducing decks, but the sets required for those cards may make it prohibitive (Planar Void, anyone?).

Just some thoughts.

 

[Spiderman]

I have all of those red flyers, I just have to think if that's the way to go. The burn would help clear away blockers and stuff (what we found in our game was creature standoff, which is why I got decked). Or just aim for the Feldon's and disrupt his strategy there (and add Tormod's Crypt).

I think for now I'll just up to 75 cards, add the Sanctuaries and more Disenchants and more Serras and see how it goes.

 

[Thallid Ice Cream Man]

Urza's Legacy.

The scary part is that I never have to look any of this stuff up.